Hutchinson concedes seat of Lyons

It's taken more than a week for outgoing Tasmanian Liberal MP Eric Hutchinson to face reality.

On Monday he conceded the latest figures from the Australian Electoral Commission meant he would not return as the member for Lyons and that Labor's Brian Mitchell would take the reins.

"I'm very happy to concede now that they did some more counting on Saturday and there's no chance there can be any other result than success for Brian Mitchell and the Labor party," Mr Hutchinson told ABC Radio.

It ended a week of optimism based on mathematical probability from Mr Hutchinson, who went to the July 2 poll holding a margin of just 1.2 per cent after a single term in parliament.

Mr Hutchinson spoke to his successor on election night when he said it was "difficult and unlikely" to be any result other than a Labor victory in the geographically large division, but that he wanted to wait for preferences to flow.

The latest results from the Australian Electoral Commission show a two-party preferred swing of some 3.5 per cent away from Mr Hutchinson.

The loss is one of three - along with Braddon and Bass - for the Liberals across Tasmania which leaves the island state without party representation in the federal lower house.

Related Articles

"I worked as hard as I could and reward for effort is probably not something that's noted in this business," Mr Hutchinson said.

The one-term parliamentarian, who ended Labor's stronghold by Dick Adams since 1993, refused to speculate on his political future.

"There are a number of opportunities that I'll be looking at seeing what I might be able to make a career outside of being a member of parliament," Mr Hutchinson said, adding that his immediate priority is to spend more time with his family.

Mr Mitchell, who claimed victory in Lyons on election night, wished Mr Hutchinson the best for the future and acknowledged he has had a tough time facing defeat.

"He's had to work through this himself in what's been a very difficult time," Mr Mitchell told ABC Radio.